Naval Headquarters, Marshal's Office.
"Kuzan, bring the tea!"
"Vice Admiral Garp, I'm busy! I'm a [Admiral] too, so you should have someone else do it!"
"Shut up, you brat."
"Go grab some rice crackers from that drawer over there."ヽ(#`Д)ノ!!"
Though he was quite annoyed, Aokiji sighed and poured tea for Garp while searching for snacks, as the other party was his mentor.
In the room, besides Garp and Aokiji, Akainu and Kizaru were also present, both with their left legs crossed over their right, silently watching Aokiji work.
Being fellow Admirals, it was quite the sight.
The oppressive gazes from his colleagues made Aokiji feel the pressure as he served tea and snacks.
Damn it, he wanted to save face too!
"Puhahaha."
With tea and snacks in hand, Garp looked at Sengoku with a cheerful expression: "Sengoku, what did you call us here for?"
"I didn't call you!"
Sengoku rubbed his temples in frustration.
This bastard just barged in and even stole the rice crackers he had hidden away!
Garp chuckled and waved his hand dismissively: "Don't be so formal! I saw the news; it's about Kaido and Red Hair, right?"
"That's about right."
Now that they were on the topic, Sengoku didn't bother to argue about Garp's uninvited presence and turned his serious gaze towards the three Admirals and several officers.
The clash between Kaido and the Red Hair Pirates was well-known to the Navy, and they had even lost a surveillance ship because of it.
But the battle wasn't the main concern; he was more interested in the cause.
"The reason I called you here is to discuss a certain pirate."
Sengoku scanned the room.
"Calamity Gurd!"
"..."
The room fell silent.
Akainu slightly raised his head.
In the past six months, he had heard Good's name many times; the newspapers frequently reported on news related to him, even piquing his interest.
All evil must be eradicated!
Aokiji returned to his seat, appearing utterly uninterested, even propping his chin up with his hand and dozing off.
So sleepy, so sleepy.JPG.
Seeing that the two were silent, Kizaru, though wanting to slack off, felt he had to speak up since he was the only one who had faced Good directly.
"Today's newcomers are truly terrifying. That Calamity Gurd, to be honest, even I have no way to deal with him."
"Even Admiral Kizaru can't..."
The officers exchanged glances.
Though they had heard of the Hachinosu Island incident, if even an Admiral couldn't win, was that Good too strong?
"Ahem!"
Sengoku cleared his throat, casting a disapproving glance at Kizaru. There were many young officers in the office; what would they think if they were scared?
"Calamity's power is indeed strong, there's no doubt about that, but he is not invincible. We need to pay more attention to Calamity's future actions."
"In the past six months, almost every major event in the New World has had Calamity's involvement—first Whitebeard and Big Mom, and now even Red Hair and the Revolutionary Army have come into contact with him!"
"Moreover, the emperors of the Underworld have also established close ties with Calamity. The specific purpose is still unclear, but there must be an evil conspiracy hidden within!"
Sengoku's expression grew troubled.
Since Good made his debut, he hadn't had a good night's sleep; that kid was just too much trouble, and it was always major incidents.
Every time the Four Emperors interacted, the Naval Headquarters had to enter a state of emergency, and that kid kept provoking the Four Emperors every few days.
The Navy Headquarters was on the verge of a breakdown!
At this rate, who knew what Calamity would do next?
Key surveillance target!
"From now on, we must closely monitor all of Calamity Gurd's actions!"
"Vice Admiral Dore, your G-14 branch is closest to the Beasts' territory, so the surveillance task will be assigned to you."
"Intelligence Department, shift the focus of your work in the New World to Calamity and always eavesdrop on all communications between Calamity and the outside world!"
"G-1 branch..."
One task after another was assigned.
Once the officers left, only the three Admirals and Garp, who was drinking tea, remained, and Sengoku finally showed a hint of fatigue.
"Kuzan."
No response.
Aokiji was slouched in his chair, drooling.
Sengoku's face darkened as he slammed the table.
"Kuzan!!!"
"Yes!"
Aokiji jolted awake and quickly sat up straight.
Sengoku, feeling exhausted, spoke: "Put aside your current work and prepare for deployment. If Calamity Gurd makes any moves, you will be the one to stop him. You don't need to report to me unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Ah, why me?"
Aokiji scratched his head in annoyance.
He didn't want to deal with such a powerful newcomer.
Sengoku's expression soured.
Three Admirals: one who only knows how to slack off, one who is lazy and disorganized, and another who is too aggressive.
The worst batch he had ever led!
"Based on the information we have, that Calamity has used fire powers after transforming, is not afraid of magma, and can absorb natural powers."
"Your ability is ice, which is the exact opposite of Calamity's attributes. You are the most suitable to take him down!"
"You can call upon the Warlords if necessary!"
"Garp, put my rice crackers down!"
The meeting concluded.
On the other side, in the Nation of Labor.
The Groudon Ship set sail.
"Alright, I'm on my way."
Gurd hung up the Den Den Mushi.
News from Caesar indicated that for some unknown reason, the Navy blocking Punk Hazard was withdrawing.
It was time to pick up the goods.
"I wonder if the Pink Dragon Fruit can allow my Groudon to evolve into its complete form."
Gurd's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Though it was a copy of the Azure Dragon Fruit, it was indeed a genuine Devil Fruit, containing the power to destroy everything.
Even an ordinary warrior who consumed it could transform into a pink giant dragon, easily causing disasters comparable to those of a Logia user.
One of the strongest tiers among Devil Fruits.
Good had considered giving it to his subordinates to bolster his ranks, but no one around him was suitable. To fully utilize the Pink Dragon Fruit, a strong physique was essential.
Just like Brother Kaido.
After much thought, he decided it was safest to feed it to Little Groudon.
"Wah~ Wah~~"
Groudon sensed Good's thoughts and couldn't wait to cry out; it hadn't eaten anything good in a long time.
"Don't rush, just a few more days."
The Groudon Ship sped ahead towards Dressrosa. Since there was no record pointer for Punk Hazard, he needed to pick up Caesar first, so he had to make a stop at Dressrosa.
Good's movements were quickly spotted by the G-14 branch's spies.
The news rapidly returned to Naval Headquarters.
"What a restless man."
Aokiji hung up the Den Den Mushi, his head throbbing.
Just two days after receiving the mission, Good had already taken action. Judging by his course, his destination was Dressrosa.
Very close to Headquarters.
"Ah, I think I'll go for a walk."
Aokiji thought for a moment and decided to stake out early.
Though it might not lead to a confrontation, it was better to be prepared just in case.
As he stepped out of the room, Aokiji suddenly remembered something.
"Where's my bicycle?"